List of Agencies Under Federal Ministry of Health in Nigeria

Last updated on August 17th, 2023 at 03:43 pm

Who is the Nigeria’s Minister of Health?

Havard University Professor, Ali Pate is Nigeria’s incumbent Minister of Health. Pate will also be the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare.

Pate holds one of the key ministries in Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s cabinet which will be inaugurated on Monday, August 21, 2023, in Abuja.

Understanding the Federal Ministry of Health

One of the oldest ministries in Nigeria is Health, because of its importance to the well-being of the country. This isn’t peculiar to Nigeria alone, health ministry plays a crucial role in other countries around the world.

In Nigeria, the ministry is behind the formulation and implementation of health-related policies.

Composition of Nigeria’s Health Ministry

Composed of nine departments, six units, and seven agencies, it is made up of different aspects of health care.

While the departments play different roles ranging from awareness to massive vaccination against diseases, the agencies do most of the health-related research.

Agencies of Nigeria’s Ministry of Health:

Below are the agencies or parastatal in Nigeria’s health ministry and their core mandates:

1. Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC)
2. The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA)
3.  National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control  (NAFDAC)
4. National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS)
5. Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR)
6. National Agency for Control of AIDs (NACA)
7. National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD)
8. Medical Laboratory Science Council of Nigeria (MLSCN)

Mandates of the agencies of Nigeria’s Ministry of Health

NCDC

To detect, alert Nigerians and respond swiftly to any form of communicable disease in Nigeria

NPHCDA

To provide technical support to states, LGAs, and other stakeholders in the functioning, planning, implementation, supervision and monitoring of Primary Health Care services in Nigeria.

NAFDAC

To regulate and control the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement, sale and use of food, drugs, cosmetics, chemicals, medical devices and packaged water in Nigeria. To alert Nigerians about adulterated drugs in Nigeria in a situation where such drugs found their way into Nigeria.

NHIS

To provide social health insurance for Nigerians. 

Note: It failed due to corruption.

NIPRD

To develop drugs, biological products, and pharmaceutical raw materials so as to reduce reliance on imported pharmaceutical products

NIMR

To conduct research into health problems in Nigeria in the areas of communicable diseases

NACA

To facilitate the engagement of all tiers of government and all sectors on issues of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and support in Nigeria

MLSCN

To regulate the training of Technicians, Scientists, and Assistants in any institutions in Nigeria and give periodic accreditation to institutions.

Located at Federal Secretariat Complex, Phase III, Shehu Shagari Way, Central Business District. Abuja .FCT – Nigeria, the Ministry of Health also has federal medical centres and federal teaching hospitals under its coordination.